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- Title
Fuel treatment effects on stand-level carbon pools, treatment-related emissions, and fire risk in a Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest.
- Authors
Stephens, Scott L.; Moghaddas, Jason J.; Hartsough, Bruce R.; Moghaddas, Emily E. Y.; Clinton, Nicholas E.
- Abstract
Policies have been enacted to encourage carbon (C) sequestration through afforestation, reforestation, and other silvicultural practices; however, the effects of wildfires on forest C stocks are poorly understood. We present information from Sierran mixed-conifer forests regarding how control, mechanical, prescribed-fire, and mechanical followed by prescribed-fire treatments affected C pools. Secondly, we report CO2 emissions from machinery and burning associated with the treatments. Lastly, the effects of treatments on the potential for C loss to wildfire are presented. The amount of aboveground C in live trees was significantly reduced in mechanical-only and mechanical plus fire treatments; C contained in dead trees was not significantly different. There was no significant difference in aboveground live and dead tree C between the fire-only and control treatments. Fire-only and mechanical plus fire treatments emitted significantly more CO2 than the mechanical treatment and control. Modeling results for the control demonstrated 90% of the live tree C had a high (>75%) chance of being killed in a wildfire; in contrast, all three active treatments had low vulnerabilities to C loss. With wildfire severity increasing in most Sierran forests, management actions designed to increase fire resistance are justified for long-term C sequestration.
- Subjects
SIERRA Nevada (Calif. &; Nev.); CARBON sequestration; WILDFIRE prevention; AFFORESTATION; REFORESTATION; FORESTS &; forestry; CARBON dioxide; TREES; DEAD trees; GOVERNMENT policy
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 2009, Vol 39, Issue 8, p1538
- ISSN
0045-5067
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1139/X09-081